title: Menstrual and oral contraceptive use patterns among deployed military women by race and ethnicity.
abstract: Menstrual cycle patterns and concerns and oral contraceptive use in the combat environment were examined in Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic, and African American women to guide the development of educational resources for women soldiers. An anonymous, questionnaire was completed by 455 U.S. Army women-Caucasian (CA: n = 141); Asian (AS: n = 67); Hispanic (HIS: n = 67); and African American (AA: n = 184) to compare menstrual patterns and concerns, dysmenorrhea, and oral contraceptive patterns. Total menstrual concerns were significantly lower among African Americans relative to Caucasians, Asians, or Hispanics; Asians and Hispanics reported the greatest concern. Overall, secondary amenorrhea was noted by 14.9% of women. Severe dysmenorrhea rates were significantly lower in African American (6.1%) compared to Caucasian (11.6%), Asian (20.9%) and Hispanic (19.7%) women. Asian women reported missing less work-only 9.3% with moderate to severe dysmenorrhea missed work compared to 25.1% of all other women. Only 9.2% of women with mild, compared to 25.8% with moderate to severe (OR = 3.44; p ≤ 0.0001) dysmenorrhea sought health care. Less than 50% of women took oral contraceptive, and less than half of those women took oral contraceptive continuously. African Americans seemed to experience menstruation as less bothersome than others, despite no difference in the proportion with menstrual irregularities, mean duration of menses, and/or mean time between cycles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA. pdeuster@usuhs.mil
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Deuster
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Powell-Dunford
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Crago
authors.forename: Amanda S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Cuda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001213:Asian / Q000208:ethnology; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008598:Menstruation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral